Monday 31 August 2026.

Sunday 30 August and Monday 31 August 2026. NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL WEEKEND. A million visitors each day attend Europe's biggest street carnival to celebrate it's 60th anniversary. I have been to most Carnivals over the past 50 years. I can remember the many times I went to The Reading Festival on the Friday, Saturday , Sunday and come back Monday morning to have a quick shower , then off to Carnival on The Bank Holiday Monday Notting Hill Carnival features around 38 sound systems and 30 to 40 static sound system locations, alongside 84 Mas (Masquerade ) bands participating in the street parades. The main times on both days are noon to 7pm on both Sunday and Monday. The streets will be full with costumed performers, accompanied by steel bands and live performance stages. Certain areas will be very busy , so try to avoid public bottlenecks. You will hear loud music everywhere. At 3pm each day , there will be a a period of silent tribute to those killed in the Grenfell Tower fire disaster . -------------- Monday 1pm to 6pm. A lovely sunny day , although there was a couple of brief rain showers. The Powis Square Stage was good as djs and acts played non stop 30 mins sets. Saw some of the floats from the main procession along with the sound systems . A mix of sounds, including a couple of old school reggae sound systems which were great. Gaz' s Rockin' Blues had to be looked at . Loud sounds and colourful costumes are everywhere. A joyous communal party atmosphere. Plenty of twerking everywhere Lovely food stalls galore....jerk chicken and rice had to consumed.. Private houses and others are hiring their toilets out for £5 a pop . Managed to avoid any mental human roadblocks One minute silence for Grenfell at 3pm was fully observed .. Lots of police dotted around , but I didn't see any trouble . We left a bit earlier than usual , as whacked out from a long day out yesterday . The Carnival is always good fun. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday 29 August 2026...8.30pm to 11.30pm... KID - press preview - 55 Frith Street , Soho , London W1. KID is a modern Turkish restaurant located at 55 Frith Street on the corner of Bateman Street in Soho. KID opens to the public early September . KID is a Turkish restaurant in Soho from chef Sertaç Dirik and restaurateur David Carter. The project marks Dirik's first solo restaurant following his success at Mangal II, the acclaimed East London ocakbasi run by his family, while Carter brings experience from restaurants including OMA, AGORA, SMOKESTAK and manteca. The menu draws inspiration from Dirik's Turkish heritage, with a particular focus on the food traditions of Central Anatolia. Rooted in family recipes and techniques passed down through generations, the cooking combines Turkish influences with seasonal British produce and ingredient-led sourcing. Fire plays a central role throughout, with dishes emerging from both the charcoal grill and wood-fired oven. Bread is a cornerstone of the offering, from tombik pide baked in the wood oven to sourdough pide grilled over charcoal and finished with kaymak butter. Alongside sits a selection of meze and salads, including house-made çökelek cheese with seasonal vegetables, and Turkish sivri peppers dressed with pomegranate molasses and kashkaval cheese. Larger plates showcase ingredients from across Britain, such as charcoal-grilled Cornish lamb saddle, while traditional tandir cooking techniques are used for slow-cooked dishes from the wood oven. Desserts and after-dinner rituals continue the theme, with Turkish tea and coffee served alongside baklava and Turkish delights. Occupying a Victorian corner site on Frith Street, KID has been designed by London studio BOX 9. The interiors combine references to Soho architecture with Turkish design details, featuring warm terracotta tones, handmade materials and a prominent grill counter that forms the focal point of the dining room. Seating ranges from intimate tables and counter dining overlooking the kitchen to upholstered banquettes, while a dedicated wine room doubles as a private dining space. Elsewhere, the basement houses KID's in-house bakery and additional kitchen facilities. The result is a contemporary Turkish restaurant that explores regional cooking traditions through the lens of London's seasonal produce and live-fire cooking. ----------- A nice buzzy atmosphere here . We had four starter dishes to share . We each had a lovely Adana Kofte and sides for the mains. We had three desserts to share , including lovely baklava . We had four different cocktails each, the Fig one was very strong. Our waiter Louie was top notch , and we had a very enjoyable time here,

Posted 30th August 2026